Oakland : California

The city of Oakland is known as the heart of the East Bay section of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a heavily populated and industrialized belt that is home to about half the residents of the San Francisco-Oakland urban area. An important seaport, Oakland is a major business and manufacturing center. Oakland's waterfront is lined with docks as befits this historical transportation and distribution hub. Oakland was among the first ports globally to specialize in the inter modal container operations whose advantages have revolutionized international trade. With its strategic Pacific Rim location, about 75 percent of Oakland's foreign trade is with Asia. Oakland has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, with a majority of African American citizens.

Oakland is a city in Alameda County. The community was named for the evergreen oaks growing in the area.

Geography & Climate
Oakland lies at the center of the Pacific Coast between Canada and Mexico. It is located on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, and is connected to the city of San Francisco by the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Oakland boasts 19 miles of coastline to the west and magnificent rolling hills to the east. The flat plain of San Francisco Bay comprises about two-thirds of the city and the remainder of the city's terrain lies in the foothills and hills of the East Bay range. Residents and area visitors can take advantage of one of the most beautiful views in the world – the San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridges, and the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Cities adjacent to Oakland include Berkeley to the north; San Leandro to the south; Alameda across the estuary; Piedmont, a small city completely surrounded by Oakland; and Emeryville, a city that lies on the bay between Oakland and Berkeley. Oakland is the only city in the United States with a natural saltwater lake, 115-acre Lake Merritt, wholly contained within its border.
Oakland has earned the nickname "bright side of the Bay" because of its sunny skies and moderate year-round climate. Humidity remains high while precipitation is low. Almost all the city's rainfall occurs between October and January. The temperature usually reads about five degrees warmer than San Francisco, and the warmest months are September and October. The area's climate has been ranked number one in the country by Places Rated Almanac.

Area: 56 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 42 feet above sea level

Latitude: 37.80 N

Longitude: 122.23 W

Average Temperatures: January, 49.9° F; July, 62.1° F; annual average, 56.7° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 23 inches

Population: 395,274 (as on July 2005)

Oakland attractions: Oakland Zoo, Children's Fairyland